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Thursday, March 30, 2006

In the largest study of its kind, researchers found that having people pray for heart bypass surgery patients had no effect on their recovery. In fact, patients who knew they were being prayed for had a slightly higher rate of complications. Researchers emphasized that their work can't address whether God exists or answers prayers made on another's behalf. The study can only look for an effect from prayers offered as part of the research, they said. They also said they had no explanation for the higher complication rate in patients who knew they were being prayed for, in comparison to patients who only knew it was possible prayers were being said for them.

Umm, what!? They're doing a scientific study on *prayer*?! Wow, this is so stupid, I don't know where to begin... so I'll just quote the article:

Critics said the question of God's reaction to prayers simply can't be explored by scientific study.

Um, duh?

For fun, though, let's quote another piece of the article - maybe this is the real reason:

Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School and other scientists tested the effect of having three Christian groups pray for particular patients, starting the night before surgery and continuing for two weeks. The volunteers prayed for "a successful surgery with a quick, healthy recovery and no complications" for specific patients, for whom they were given the first name and first initial of the last name.

Heh. Everyone knows you need their first and middle names and their mother's names... and maybe it would help if the people praying were, oh, I don't know... JEWISH?! ;)

(Chill, just having some fun. This was too stupid a study to ignore, though.)

SerandEz leans toward current issues - from politics to the Jewish community - with sports, Israel, and even Judaism thrown in. Add some comedy, fun, my own thoughts, and a bunch of my friends, and voila! SerandEz! I hope people are getting something out of it, even if it's just an interesting idea or a quick smile. Enjoy! ~ Ezzie Goldish